Monday, April 30, 2007 Arroyo to seek New Zealand's help on reforestation
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will visit New Zealand in May to pursue assistance in the promotion and protection of the eco-tourism, including the reforestation of some parts of the country.
Pres Secretary Ignacio Bunye said New Zealand was instrumental in the reforestation of Bukidnon in the past years and they are banking on their continued support to better protect the Philippines' natural treasures.
Bunye, in his column "View from the Palace", said the initial plan is for the President to visit New Zealand late in May.
"We have much to learn from them (New Zealand), as they are definitely a leading example of a tourism industry anchored on the country's natural beauty and outdoor pursuits," he said.
Tentatively, the President would leave for New Zealand on May 27 and would later proceed to Australia. She is also scheduled to leave for Japan on May 22 for the Nikkei Conference in Tokyo.
She recently left for a 14-hour trip to Hainan in China for the Boao forum where she was among the keynote speakers. The China trip which was supposed to be a five province-five day trip but it was cut short after First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo underwent an open heart surgery early in April.
Bunye said the President's trip to New Zealand "is part of her Green Philippines advocacy, which includes reforestation, preservation of our reefs and waterways, scrubbing the land and air of pollutants that endangers the health of our citizens, and energy independence."
To achieve Arroyo's goal of preserving the reefs and waterways, she signed a proclamation establishing a critical habitat and eco-tourism area within the coastal lagoon of Las Piñas and Parañaque and ensuring the maintenance of necessary ecological services from peripheral areas.
"On anti-pollution initiatives, the focus shall be on ridding our barangays and cities of trash, establishing urban parks and recreation areas, purifying our water and cleaning up industrial sites that are not only health hazards but eyesores," Bunye said.
"(And) to promote energy independence, President Arroyo calls for the acceleration of our bio-fuels program in order to bolster investments and innovation, as well as self-reliance, while keeping our environment clean. For this, we are looking at the best practices in Brazil, the leader in bio-fuel," he added.
Arroyo, likewise, ordered the Department of Education to incorporate into the public school's Science curriculum subjects the topics of dealing with global warming and climate change to inculcate among the young the need to protect and preserve the environment. (JMR/Sunnex)
